Police identify man killed in Worcester fight as Blackstone resident

Monday

Sep 2, 2013 at 1:10 PMSep 2, 2013 at 1:11 PM

By Scott J. Croteau, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — The 18-year-old man who died after being involved in a fight Sunday morning was identified by police today as Robert Walker of Blackstone. Police announced in a news release that a Worcester man has been charged with hitting Mr. Walker with a bottle during fight.

Michael Ventura, 18, of 32 Granite St., has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury. He was arrested Sunday after investigators determined Mr. Ventura fought with Mr. Walker at the Crestwood Arms apartment complex at 121 Bailey St.

Authorities are awaiting a determination from the medical examiner's office on Mr. Walker's cause of death. It has not been determined whether the attack with the bottle caused his death.

Mr. Walker was with a group of people at a private party in one of the apartments at the complex Sunday morning. Mr. Walker got into a verbal argument with a man inside the apartment, police said in the news release. The argument continued outside.

"Investigators discovered that when Mr. Walker and the male got outside the apartment, a physical altercation ensued," police said in the news release. "During the fight, Mr. Ventura struck Mr. Walker with a bottle."

Mr. Walker ran off after he was struck. He was found on the property by his friends. He was unresponsive and not breathing. Police were called to the location about 4:45 a.m. for a report of an injured person.

Mr. Walker was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead about 5:40 a.m.

Detectives and the Crime Scene Unit spent much of Sunday at the scene. An area around a couple of the buildings had been closed off by police.

Mr. Ventura is expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Central District Court.

Anyone with information may send an anonymous text to 274637 beginning with TIPWPD, submit an anonymous message at www.worcesterma.gov/police or call Worcester police detectives at (508) 799-8651.